Happy NBA Lockout Thanksgiving: Owners and Players Say Thanks

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing: soon our days will be filled with Butterballs, Heimlich maneuvers, and tryptophan-induced comas.

More importantly, if that is even possible, this festive holiday offers us an opportunity to take a few minutes to reflect on the multitude of things we have in our lives to be thankful for.

Among those who have the most to be thankful are the NBA owners and players. In many ways the NBA lockout is just like the first Thanksgiving—pilgrims breaking bread with natives, both sharing in the wealth of the land, but deep down, feeling like the other is stepping on the other’s territory.

But believe it or not, for NBA owners and players, the lockout has given them even more to be thankful for this year. With the money that the owners are saving with each passing non-game day, their lives become just a little bit better. With that extra cash, they can trade in their private fleet of Gulfstream jets for an even bigger fleet of Gulfstreams. How wonderful is that for them?

And let’s not forget the players, who have a lot to be extra thankful for during this off-court battle. No longer do they have to wake up by noon and rest all afternoon, so that they can put in a grueling three-hour workday on the court, playing a game in front of thousands of adoring fans. We all know what a grind that can be.

So, when you gather around your family table Thursday to say thanks for the food that you have before you, and the roof over your head, take a moment to think about your fellow NBA owners and players. Be happy that their lives are even better than before, even if it is at the expense of others who have less to be thankful for.